U.S. patent application number 15/211841 was filed with the patent office on 2016-11-10 for heating and cooling unit with canopy light.
The applicant listed for this patent is Spring (U.S.A.) Corporation. Invention is credited to Francis Thomas Brija.
Application Number | 20160324338 15/211841 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 57222141 |
Filed Date | 2016-11-10 |
United States Patent
Application |
20160324338 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Brija; Francis Thomas |
November 10, 2016 |
HEATING AND COOLING UNIT WITH CANOPY LIGHT
Abstract
Aspects of the disclosure herein relate to systems and methods
for heating, cooling, and/or displaying food. A food display system
may include a base; a support engaged with the base; a canopy
supported by the support, the canopy having a top surface, a bottom
surface, and an edge surface between the top and bottom surfaces,
the edge surface having at least a first portion and a second
portion; and a light source configured to provide light to the
first portion of the edge surface of the canopy and illuminate the
second portion of the edge surface of the canopy. The canopy may be
configured to be located above a food item.
Inventors: |
Brija; Francis Thomas; (Palm
Beach Gardens, FL) |
|
Applicant: |
Name |
City |
State |
Country |
Type |
Spring (U.S.A.) Corporation |
Naperville |
IL |
US |
|
|
Family ID: |
57222141 |
Appl. No.: |
15/211841 |
Filed: |
July 15, 2016 |
Related U.S. Patent Documents
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Application
Number |
Filing Date |
Patent Number |
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14471949 |
Aug 28, 2014 |
9416995 |
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15211841 |
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13495643 |
Jun 13, 2012 |
8850829 |
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14471949 |
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13347229 |
Jan 10, 2012 |
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13495643 |
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Current U.S.
Class: |
1/1 |
Current CPC
Class: |
F25D 2700/16 20130101;
F25B 21/04 20130101; F25B 2321/0212 20130101; F25D 2400/08
20130101; F21V 33/0036 20130101; A47J 36/26 20130101; A47F 2010/065
20130101; F25B 2321/0252 20130101; F25B 2321/023 20130101; A47F
10/06 20130101 |
International
Class: |
A47F 10/00 20060101
A47F010/00; F25B 21/04 20060101 F25B021/04; F21V 33/00 20060101
F21V033/00 |
Claims
1. A food display system, the display system comprising: a base; a
support engaged with the base; a canopy supported by the support,
the canopy having a top surface, a bottom surface, and an edge
surface between the top and bottom surfaces, the edge surface
having at least a first portion and a second portion; and a light
source configured to provide light to the first portion of the edge
surface of the canopy and illuminate the second portion of the edge
surface of the canopy; wherein the canopy is configured to be
located above a food item.
2. The food display system of claim 1, further comprising a design
etched into one of the top surface of the canopy or the bottom
surface of the canopy, wherein the light source is configured to
illuminate the design.
3. The food display system of claim 1, further comprising a
temperature change source configured to affect temperature of the
food item.
4. The food display system of claim 3, wherein the temperature
change source is located substantially above the food item and is
configured to warm the food item.
5. The food display system of claim 4, wherein the light source is
configured to emit a red light when the temperature change source
is on.
6. The food display system of claim 5, wherein the red light has a
wavelength of about 600 nm to about 665 nm.
7. The food display system of claim 4, wherein the light source is
configured to emit a blue light when the temperature change source
is off.
8. The food display system of claim 7, wherein the blue light has a
wavelength of about 430 nm to about 525 nm.
9. The food display system of claim 4, wherein the temperature
change source is an infrared light.
10. The food display system of claim 4, wherein the temperature
change source is ceramic heater.
11. The food display system of claim 3, wherein the temperature
change source is located substantially below the food item.
12. The food display system of claim 11, wherein the temperature
change source comprises at least one cooling Peltier device
configured to cool the food surface below an ambient temperature
and at least one heating Peltier device configured to heat the food
surface above the ambient temperature.
13. The food display system of claim 12, wherein the light source
is configured to emit a blue light when the cooling Peltier device
is activated and configured to emit a red light when the heating
Peltier device is activated.
14. The food display system of claim 13, wherein the blue light has
a wavelength of about 430 nm to about 525 nm and the red light has
a wavelength of about 600 nm to about 665 nm.
15. A food display system, the display system comprising: a base,
the base comprising: a top surface, the top surface comprising one
or more serving surfaces supported by the base; and at least one
Peltier device contained within the base and configured to change a
temperature of at least one of the one or more serving surfaces;
and a support engaged with the base; a canopy supported by the
support, the canopy having a top surface, a bottom surface, and an
edge surface between the top and bottom surfaces, the edge surface
having at least a first portion and a second portion; and a light
source configured to provide light to the first portion of the edge
surface of the canopy and illuminate the second portion of the edge
surface of the canopy.
16. The food display system of claim 13, further comprising a first
portable electrical source configured to provide electrical power
to the at least one Peltier device and the at least one light
source.
17. The food display system of claim 13, wherein the light source
is configured to emit a red light and a blue light.
18. The food display system of claim, 17 wherein the blue light has
a wavelength of about 430 nm to about 525 nm and the red light has
a wavelength of about 600 nm to about 665 nm.
19. The food display system of claim 13, wherein the at least one
cooling Peltier device is configured to cool the food surface below
an ambient temperature or heat the food surface above the ambient
temperature.
20. The food display system of claim 19, wherein the light source
is configured to emit a red light when the Peltier device is
heating the food surface above the ambient temperature, and wherein
the light source is configured to emit a blue light when the
Peltier device is cooling the food surface below the ambient
temperature.
21. A food display system, the display system comprising: a base; a
support engaged with the base; a canopy supported by the support,
the canopy having a top surface, a bottom surface, and an edge
surface between the top and bottom surfaces, the edge surface
having at least a first portion and a second portion; and a light
source configured to provide light to the first portion of the edge
surface of the canopy and illuminate the second portion of the edge
surface of the canopy; a temperature change source configured to
raise the temperature of the food item above an ambient
temperature; wherein the light source is configured to emit a red
light having a wavelength of about 600 nm to about 665 nm; and
wherein the canopy is configured to be located above a food
item.
22. The food display system of claim 21, wherein the temperature
change source is also configured to lower the temperature of the
food item below the ambient temperature; and wherein the light
source is also configured to emit a blue light having a wavelength
of about 430 nm to about 525 nm.
Description
[0001] This application is a continuation-in-part of pending U.S.
patent application Ser. No. 14/471,949 entitled "Heating and
Cooling Unit With Semiconductor Device and Heat Pipe" and filed on
Aug. 28, 2014, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated
herein by reference, which is a continuation of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 13/495,643, entitled "Heating and Cooling Unit
with Semiconductor Device and Heat Pipe" and filed on Jun. 13,
2012, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by
reference, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent
application Ser. No. 13/347,229, entitled "Heating and Cooling Unit
with Semiconductor Device and Heat Pipe" and filed on Jan. 10,
2012, the entire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by
reference.
TECHNICAL FIELD
[0002] Certain aspects of the disclosure relate to heating,
warming, cooking, and/or serving food. In particular, certain
aspects of the disclosure relate to food-serving systems,
components thereof, and methods of serving food including heating
and/or cooling the food, and lighting a canopy disposed above the
food.
BACKGROUND
[0003] Restaurants and other food service establishments often make
food items readily available to their customers via buffets, salad
bars, breakfast bars, or similar set-ups allowing customers to
serve themselves. To ensure the safety of certain food items, it is
often necessary to ensure that the food items maintain a certain
elevated temperature, and for other food items it is often
desirable to serve the items at relatively warm or hot temperatures
for the customer's enjoyment. Similarly, certain food items must be
maintained at reduced temperatures for the safety of the food
and/or for customer's enjoyment. At the same time, to further
ensure sanitary conditions a "sneeze-guard" or "breath shield" type
structure is often needed, if not required outright by health codes
and regulations, between the customers and the food items to help
prevent contamination of the food by bacteria or other germs.
[0004] While maintaining the sanitary condition of the food items,
it is also desirable that the serving set-ups present the food
items in a convenient, safe, and aesthetically pleasing manner. It
is often desirable to fully display and illuminate the food items
to increase their appeal to the customer, and therefore setups that
partially or fully obstruct the customer's view of the food, for
example through opaque components such as pan covers, or clear
components that "fog up" and/or collect condensation from hot food
items in a manner that obstructs a customer's view, may not be
desirable even if they otherwise provide the necessary sanitation
benefits.
[0005] To alleviate these possible inefficiencies, it may be
desirable to provide food-serving systems and methods that maintain
safe and sanitary conditions by heating food items and providing a
barrier to prevent bacteria and germ contamination by customers,
but do so in a manner that presents the food items in an appealing
manner and allows customers to conveniently view and access any
desired food items.
SUMMARY
[0006] This Summary is provided to introduce a selection of
concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in
the Detailed Description. The Summary is not intended to identify
key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter,
nor is it intended to be used to limit the scope of the claimed
subject matter.
[0007] Aspects of the disclosure herein relate to systems and
methods for heating, cooling, and/or displaying food. In certain
examples, this disclosure provides a food display system. The
display system includes a base; a support engaged with the base; a
canopy supported by the support, the canopy having a top surface, a
bottom surface, and an edge surface between the top and bottom
surfaces, the edge surface having at least a first portion and a
second portion; and a light source configured to provide light to
the first portion of the edge surface of the canopy and illuminate
the second portion of the edge surface of the canopy. The canopy
may be configured to be located above a food item.
[0008] The food display system of claim 1 may include a design
etched into one of the top surface of the canopy or the bottom
surface of the canopy, and the light source is configured to
illuminate the design.
[0009] The food display system may also include a temperature
change source configured to affect temperature of the food item.
The temperature change source may be located substantially above
the food item and may be configured to warm the food item. The
light source may be configured to emit a red light when the
temperature change source is on and the red light has a wavelength
of about 600 nm to about 665 nm. The light source may be configured
to emit a blue light when the temperature change source is off and
the blue light may have a wavelength of about 430 nm to about 525
nm. The temperature change source may be an infrared light or a
ceramic heater.
[0010] The temperature change source may also be located
substantially below the food item. The temperature change source
may comprise at least one cooling Peltier device configured to cool
the food surface below an ambient temperature and at least one
heating Peltier device configured to heat the food surface above
the ambient temperature. The light source may be configured to
light emit a blue light when the cooling Peltier device is
activated and may be configured to emit a red light when the
heating Peltier device is activated. The blue light may have a
wavelength of about 430 nm to about 525 nm and the red light may
have a wavelength of about 600 nm to about 665 nm.
[0011] In another example, a food display system may include a
base, the base comprising: a top surface, the top surface
comprising one or more serving surfaces supported by the base; and
at least one Peltier device contained within the base and
configured to change a temperature of at least one of the one or
more serving surfaces; and a support engaged with the base; a
canopy supported by the support, the canopy having a top surface, a
bottom surface, and an edge surface between the top and bottom
surfaces, the edge surface having at least a first portion and a
second portion; and a light source configured to provide light to
the first portion of the edge surface of the canopy and illuminate
the second portion of the edge surface of the canopy.
[0012] The food display system may also include a first portable
electrical source configured to provide electrical power to the at
least one Peltier device and the at least one light source.
[0013] The light source may be configured to emit a red light and a
blue light and the blue light may have a wavelength of about 430 nm
to about 525 nm and the red light may have a wavelength of about
600 nm to about 665 nm.
[0014] The at least one cooling Peltier device may be configured to
cool the food surface below an ambient temperature or heat the food
surface above the ambient temperature.
[0015] The light source may be configured to emit a red light when
the Peltier device is heating the food surface above the ambient
temperature, and wherein the light source may be configured to emit
a blue light when the Peltier device is cooling the food surface
above the ambient temperature.
[0016] In other examples, the food display system may include a
base; a support engaged with the base; a canopy supported by the
support, the canopy having a top surface, a bottom surface, and an
edge surface between the top and bottom surfaces, the edge surface
having at least a first portion and a second portion; and a light
source configured to provide light to the first portion of the edge
surface of the canopy and illuminate the second portion of the edge
surface of the canopy; a temperature change source configured to
raise the temperature of the food item above an ambient
temperature. The light source may be configured to emit a red light
having a wavelength of about 600 nm to about 665 nm. The canopy may
be configured to be located above a food item.
[0017] The temperature change source may also configured to lower
the temperature of the food item below the ambient temperature; and
the light source may also configured to emit a blue light having a
wavelength of about 430 nm to about 525 nm.
[0018] Various aspects described herein may be embodied as a
method, an apparatus, or as one or more computer-readable media
storing computer-executable instructions. Accordingly, those
aspects may take the form of an entirely hardware embodiment, an
entirely software embodiment, or an embodiment combining software
and hardware aspects. Any and/or all of the method steps described
herein may be implemented as computer-readable instructions stored
on a computer-readable medium, such as a non-transitory
computer-readable medium. In addition, various signals representing
data or events as described herein may be transferred between a
source and a destination in the form of light and/or
electromagnetic waves traveling through signal-conducting media
such as metal wires, optical fibers, and/or wireless transmission
media (e.g., air and/or space).
[0019] Aspects of the disclosure have been described in terms of
illustrative embodiments thereof. Numerous other embodiments,
modifications, and variations within the scope and spirit of the
disclosure will occur to persons of ordinary skill in the art from
a review of this disclosure. For example, one of ordinary skill in
the art will appreciate that the steps illustrated herein may be
performed in other than the recited order, and that one or more
steps illustrated may be optional in accordance with aspects of the
disclosure.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0020] A more complete understanding of the present disclosure and
the advantages thereof may be acquired by referring to the
following description in consideration of the accompanying
drawings, in which like reference numbers indicate like features
and wherein:
[0021] FIG. 1 shows a block diagram of a serving apparatus
operating in a cooling mode in accordance with an embodiment of the
disclosure.
[0022] FIG. 2 shows a block diagram of a serving apparatus
operating in a heating mode in accordance with an embodiment of the
disclosure.
[0023] FIG. 3 shows a Peltier device in accordance with an
embodiment of the disclosure.
[0024] FIG. 4 shows a heat pipe in accordance with an embodiment of
the disclosure.
[0025] FIG. 5 shows a serving apparatus in accordance with an
embodiment of the disclosure.
[0026] FIG. 6 shows a control device in accordance with an
embodiment of the disclosure.
[0027] FIG. 7 shows circuitry for controlling Peltier devices in
accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure.
[0028] FIG. 8 shows an arrangement of Peltier devices for changing
a serving surface temperature in accordance with an embodiment of
the disclosure.
[0029] FIG. 9 shows an arrangement of Peltier devices for changing
a serving surface in accordance with an embodiment of the
disclosure.
[0030] FIG. 10 shows a flowchart for controlling a serving
apparatus in accordance with an embodiment.
[0031] FIG. 11 shows a flowchart for controlling Peltier devices in
accordance with an embodiment.
[0032] FIG. 12 shows a flowchart for controlling Peltier devices in
accordance with an embodiment.
[0033] FIG. 13 shows a serving apparatus with a heating side and a
cooling side in accordance with an embodiment.
[0034] FIG. 14 shows a serving apparatus with serving surfaces in
accordance with an embodiment.
[0035] FIG. 15 shows a portable serving tray in accordance with an
embodiment.
[0036] FIG. 16 shows a plurality of portable trays stacked in a
rack in accordance with an embodiment.
[0037] FIG. 17A shows a perspective view of an exemplary canopy for
a food-serving system in accordance with one embodiment.
[0038] FIG. 17B shows an exploded perspective view of an exemplary
canopy for a food-serving system in accordance with one
embodiment.
[0039] FIG. 18A shows a side view of an exemplary embodiment of a
food-serving system.
[0040] FIG. 18B shows a side view of an exemplary embodiment of a
food-serving system.
[0041] FIG. 19A shows a side view of an exemplary embodiment of a
food-serving system.
[0042] FIG. 19B shows a top view of an exemplary embodiment of a
food-serving system.
[0043] FIG. 19C shows a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment
of a food-serving system.
[0044] FIG. 20A shows a top view of an exemplary embodiment of a
food-serving system.
[0045] FIG. 20B shows a side view of an exemplary embodiment of a
food-serving system.
[0046] FIG. 20C shows a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment
of a food-serving system.
[0047] FIG. 21A shows a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment
of a food-serving system.
[0048] FIG. 21B shows a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment
of a food-serving system.
[0049] FIG. 21C shows a side view of an exemplary embodiment of a
food-serving system.
[0050] FIG. 21D shows a top view of an exemplary embodiment of a
food-serving system.
[0051] FIG. 22A shows a control device in accordance with an
embodiment of the disclosure.
[0052] FIG. 22B shows a control device in accordance with an
embodiment of the disclosure.
[0053] FIG. 23 shows a perspective view of an exemplary embodiment
of a food-serving system.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION
[0054] In the following description of the various embodiments,
reference is made to the accompanying drawings which form a part
hereof, and in which is shown by way of illustration various
embodiments in which the subject matter of the disclosure may be
practiced. It is to be understood that other embodiments may be
utilized and structural and functional modifications may be made
without departing from the scope of the present disclosure.
[0055] FIG. 1 shows a block diagram 100 of a serving apparatus
operating in a cooling mode in accordance with an embodiment of the
disclosure. Block diagram 100 shows the basic elements of the
serving apparatus but may not explicitly show the dimensions and
relative placement of the elements. For example, heat pipes 105 and
104 may be bent in a horizontal plane rather than a vertical plane
so that the operation of the heat pipes is not adversely affected
(e.g., by gravity).
[0056] The measured temperature of serving surface 101 is changed
by transferring heat from Peltier devices 102 and 103 through heat
pipes 104 and 105 and through heat sinks 106 and 107,
respectively.
[0057] Control device 108 activates and deactivates Peltier devices
102 and 103 based on an indication from temperature sensor 109 that
is indicative of the measured temperature of serving surface 101.
Temperature sensor 109 is typically placed against serving surface
101 in order to provide thermal coupling. For example, when the
measured temperature is above a cooling temperature setting (i.e.,
the desired temperature) control device 108 provides electrical
power to Peltier devices 102 and 103 through electrical connections
110 and 111 and connections 112 and 113, respectively.
[0058] With some embodiments, heat transfer may be enhanced by fans
114 and 115 producing air circulation from heat sinks 106 and 107,
respectively, and through vent openings 116 and 117,
respectively.
[0059] FIG. 2 shows a block diagram 200 of a serving apparatus
operating in a heating mode in accordance with an embodiment of the
disclosure. With some embodiments, the serving apparatus may be the
same serving apparatus as with block diagram 100.
[0060] Control device 208 reverses the transfer of heat with
respect to block diagram 100 by reversing the electrical polarity
of electrical connections 210 and 211 and connections 212 and 213.
(As will be discussed, the Peltier effect is a reversible process.)
Consequently, heat flows to serving surface 201 to heat it.
[0061] FIG. 3 shows Peltier device 300 in accordance with an
embodiment of the disclosure. However, some embodiments may use
other types of semiconductor devices that provide similar heating
and/or cooling characteristics. Heat is transferred between top
side 351 and bottom side 352 based on the Peltier effect.
Thermoelectric cooling by Peltier device 300 uses the Peltier
effect to create a heat flux between the junctions of two different
types of materials. Peltier device 300 may be classified as a heat
pump. When direct current is provided to Peltier device 300, heat
is moved from one side to the other. Peltier device 300 may be used
either for heating or for cooling since the Peltier effect is
reversible. For example, heat may be transferred from top side 351
to bottom side 352 to cool a serving surface by providing
electrical power at terminals 314 and 315. Moreover, the direction
of the heat transfer may be reversed (i.e., from bottom side 352 to
top side 351) in order to heat the serving surface by reversing the
polarity of the electrical power at terminals 314 and 315.
[0062] Peltier device 300 comprises a plurality of N type and P
type semiconductor grains 301-309 that are electrically
interconnected through electrical conductor arrangements 310 and
311. Ceramic layers 312 and 313 provide thermal conductivity as
well as electrical isolation so that Peltier device 300 is able to
cool or heat a serving surface. With some embodiments, the serving
surface and heat pipe are thermally coupled to ceramic layers 312
and 313, respectively.
[0063] With some embodiments, one or more Peltier devices may be
used to exchange heat with the serving surface. For example, with
the embodiment shown in FIG. 5, four Peltier devices may provide
faster cooling than with one Peltier device. Additional Peltier
devices may be used; however, electrical power and physical
constraints may be factors that limit the number of Peltier
devices.
[0064] FIG. 4 shows heat pipe 400 in accordance with an embodiment
of the disclosure. With some embodiments, heat pipe 400 is a
heat-transfer device that combines the principles of both thermal
conductivity and phase transition to efficiently manage the
transfer of heat between two solid interfaces. At the hot interface
within heat pipe 400, which is typically at a very low pressure, a
liquid (fluid) is in contact with a thermally conductive solid
surface that turns into a vapor by absorbing heat from the surface.
The vapor condenses back into a liquid at the cold interface,
releasing the latent heat. The liquid then returns to the hot
interface through either capillary action or gravity action, where
it evaporates once more and repeats the cycle. In addition, the
internal pressure of the heat pipe may be set or adjusted to
facilitate the phase change depending on the demands of the working
conditions of the thermally managed system. With some embodiments,
heat pipe 400 does not contain mechanical moving parts and
typically requires little or no maintenance.
[0065] Heat pipe 400 may be a heat-transfer device that combines
the principles of both thermal conductivity and phase transition to
efficiently manage the transfer of heat between two ends. With
traditional systems, a radiator using single-phase convection with
a high-speed motor often provides heat transfer. However, heat pipe
400 can transfer the heat efficiently without a high-speed
motor.
[0066] Heat pipe 400 transports heat from portion 452 to portion
451. Heat pipe 400 comprises casing 401, wick 402, and vapor cavity
403. Casing 401 may comprise a sealed pipe or tube made of a
material with high thermal conductivity such as copper or aluminum
at both hot and cold ends. Working fluid evaporates to vapor
absorbing thermal energy at event 404. Examples of such fluids
include water, ethanol, acetone, sodium, or mercury. The vapor
migrates along cavity 403 from portion 452 (high temperature end)
to portion 451 (low temperature end). The vapor condenses back to
fluid and is absorbed by wick 402 at event 406, and the fluid flows
back to portion 402 through wick 402.
[0067] With some embodiments, referring to FIG. 5, heat pipe 503
comprises a sealed pipe or tube made of a material with high
thermal conductivity, i.e., copper at both hot and cold ends. For
example, a copper pipe or tube may be approximately 300 MM long
with a diameter of approximately 8 mm. Heat pipe 503 is typically
constructed with a tube shell, wick and end caps. Heat pipe 503 may
be drawn into negative pressure and may be filled with the fluid
such as pure water. Wick 402 is typically constructed with a
capillary porous material. Evaporation of the fluid occurs at one
end of heat pipe 503, while condensation occurs at the other end.
When the evaporation end is heated, the capillary action in the
fluid evaporates quickly. With a small gravity difference between
two ends, the vapor flows to the other end, releasing heat. The
vapor is then re-condensed into fluid, which runs along the porous
material by capillary forces back into the evaporation end. This
cycle is repeated to transfer the heat from the one end to the
other end of heat pipe 503. This cycle is typically fast, and the
heat conduction is continuous. Good performance of the wick is
often characterized by: [0068] 1. Large capillary action or small
effective aperture of wick, [0069] 2. Smaller fluid flow
resistance, which have higher permeability, [0070] 3. Good thermal
conductivity characteristics, and [0071] 4. Good repeatability and
reliability in the manufacturing process.
[0072] Referring to FIG. 4, heat pipe 400 may have bends in order
to route the heat transfer to or from a heat exchange device
providing that the bends to not adversely affect the capillary or
gravity action of heat pipe 400. For example, referring to FIG. 5,
heat pipe 503 is bent in a horizontal plane to route the heat
between Peltier device 502 and heat sink 505.
[0073] FIG. 5 shows serving apparatus 500 in accordance with an
embodiment of the disclosure. While serving apparatus 500 is
depicted in the cooling mode, apparatus 500 may be used to heat
aluminum plate 501 (which functions as the serving surface on which
an item is placed) based on the previous discussion.
[0074] Peltier device 502 is thermally coupled to serving surface
501 and copper block 504, where the top side (corresponding to
ceramic layer 312 as shown in FIG. 3) is physically situated
against serving surface 501 and the bottom side (corresponding to
ceramic layer 313) is physically situated against copper block 504.
Thermal conductivity may be enhanced by ensuring the flatness of
the installation surface, and coating the contact surface with a
thin layer of heat conduction silicon grease. Also, in order to
avoid fracturing the ceramic layers of Peltier device 502, the
pressure against the layers should be even and not excessive when
fixing device 502.
[0075] Heat pipe 503 is thermally coupled to Peltier device 502
through copper block 504 so that heat flows along heat flow 509a
and 509b. However, with some embodiments, heat pipe 503 may be
directly placed against Peltier device 502. Heat pipe 502
transports heat along heat flow 509b by traversing through copper
block 504 via branches 507a-507c and heat sink 505. Heat is thus
transported along heat flow 509c and into the surrounding
environment of serving apparatus 500.
[0076] With some embodiments, heat sink 505 may be constructed from
copper and/or aluminum in order to achieve performance, size, and
cost objectives.
[0077] With some embodiments, fan 506 operates when apparatus is
operating in the cooling mode. However, with some embodiments, fan
506 may operate in the heating and/or cooling modes. Fan 506
assists in the transfer of heat by drawing in cool air 510a and
510b so that heat sink 505 may be kept to a smaller size than
without fan 506. With some embodiments, the speed of fan 506 may be
changed based on the temperature of serving surface 501. For
example, the speed may be increased when the difference of measured
temperature of serving surface 501 and the desired temperature
increases. However, with some embodiments, the speed of fan 506 may
be fixed when fan 506 is activated and may operate during the
entire duration of operation.
[0078] With some embodiments, while not explicitly shown in FIG. 5,
a cooling fan may circulate air to provide inner air convection
within the serving chamber (within serving cover 508 and serving
plate 501) to enhance the cooling of food within the chamber. With
some embodiments, a fan may support inner air convection when the
apparatus is operating in the heating mode.
[0079] FIG. 6 shows control device 600 for controlling apparatus
100 (corresponding to control device 108 as shown in FIG. 1),
apparatus 200 (corresponding to control device 208 as shown in FIG.
2), and apparatus 500 (as shown in FIG. 5) in accordance with an
embodiment of the disclosure. Processing system 601 may execute
computer executable instructions from a computer-readable medium
(e.g., storage device 604) in order provide verify communication
redundancy for a network, Memory 602 is typically used for
temporary storage while storage device 504 may comprise a flash
memory and/or hard drive for storing computer executable
instructions and a profile image. However, computer storage media
may include volatile and nonvolatile, removable and non-removable
media implemented in any method or technology for storage of
information such as computer readable instructions, data
structures, program modules or other data. Computer storage media
include, but may not be limited to, random access memory (RAM),
read only memory (ROM), electronically erasable programmable read
only memory (EEPROM), flash memory or other memory technology,
CD-ROM, digital versatile disks (DVD) or other optical disk
storage, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage
or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium that can be
used to store the desired information and that can be accessed by
processing system 601. The executable instructions may carry out
any or all of the method steps described herein.
[0080] With some embodiments, processing system 601 may correspond
to one or more processors and storage device 604 may correspond to
one or more memories.
[0081] Control device 600 may be implemented as one or more ASICs
or other integrated circuits (e.g., a single chip computer) having
instructions for performing operations as described in connection
with one or more of any of the embodiments described herein. Said
instructions may be software and/or firmware instructions stored in
a machine-readable medium and/or may be hard-coded as a series of
logic gates and/or state machine circuits in one or more integrated
circuits and/or in one or more integrated circuits in combination
with other circuit elements.
[0082] With some embodiments, control device 600 supports different
control capabilities for heating and/or cooling. For example,
device 600 may obtain a temperature setting (desired temperature)
from a user through an input device and control one or more Peltier
devices (e.g., Peltier devices 802-805 as shown in FIG. 8) to
compensate for environmental factors in order to approximate the
desired temperature. Control device 600 may also sense when cover
508 (as shown in FIG. 5) is open (e.g. through a switch not
explicitly shown), and control the Peltier devices accordingly. For
example, control device 600 may activate the Peltier devices for a
longer period of time when cover 508 is open than when it is
shut.
[0083] FIG. 7 shows circuitry 700 for controlling Peltier devices
in accordance with an embodiment of the disclosure. While some of
the functionality of a serving apparatus may be implemented with a
control device (e.g., control device 600 as shown in FIG. 6), some
or all of the functionalities may be implemented with separate
circuitry, e.g., circuitry 700. For example, circuitry 700 controls
the activation of the Peltier devices by a comparator 701 comparing
temperature setting 704 and measured temperature 703. Comparator
701 may have hysteresis characteristics so that once Peltier device
706 is activated by providing electrical power from source 705
through power switch 702, activation continues until the serving
surface reaches a hysteresis temperature.
[0084] FIG. 8 shows a collection of Peltier devices for changing a
serving surface temperature in accordance with an embodiment of the
disclosure. Embodiments may support one or more Peltier devices in
order to increase or decrease the temperature of a serving surface.
With some embodiments, as shown in FIG. 8, four Peltier devices
802-805 may heat or cool serving surface 801. Some or all of the
Peltier devices may be activated at one time. For example, when the
temperature of serving surface 801 is within a temperature range,
Peltier devices 802-805 may be deactivated. When the measured
temperature of serving surface 801 is outside the temperature
range, all of the Peltier devices 802-805 are activated. (This
approach is incorporated in flowchart 1100 as shown in FIG. 11 and
will be further discussed.) However, with some embodiments, only a
proper subset of Peltier devices (e.g., devices 802 and 805 or
devices 803 and 804) is activated at a given time when the
temperature is outside the temperature range. Moreover, different
subsets may be activated in a sequenced manner in order to provide
more consistent thermal properties, such as more even cooling
and/or heating, over serving surface 801. For example, a first
subset and a second subset may be activated and deactivated,
respectively, during a first time duration while reversing
activation states during the second time duration.
[0085] Some embodiments may support a greater number of Peltier
devices. However, the number of Peltier devices may be limited by
physical constraints and/or electrical power limitations. FIG. 9
shows a collection of sixteen Peltier devices 902-917 for changing
serving surface 901 in accordance with an embodiment of the
disclosure. As discussed previously, some or all of devices 902-917
may be activated at the same time. Devices 902-917 may be
partitioned into a plurality subsets, e.g., a first subset
including devices 802, 805, 807, 808, 811, 812, 814, and 817, a
second subset including 802, 804, 807, 809, 810, 812, 815, and 817,
and third subset including devices 803, 805, 806, 808, 811, 813,
814, and 816, where some or all of the subsets may have overlapping
members.
[0086] With some embodiments, the same Peltier devices may be used
for different modes of operation. For example, referring to FIG. 8,
Peltier devices 802-805 may be used both for heating and
cooling.
[0087] With some embodiments, different Peltier devices may be used
for different modes of operation. For example, Peltier devices 802
and 805 may be used for cooling while Peltier devices 803 and 804
may be used for heating. As another example, Peltier devices
802-805 may be used for cooling while only Peltier devices 502 and
805 are used for heating.
[0088] FIG. 10 shows flowchart 1000 for controlling a serving
apparatus in accordance with an embodiment. At block 1001, a
control device (e.g., control device 108 as shown in FIG. 1) reads
the measured temperature of the serving surface (e.g., surface 101)
from the temperature sensor (e.g., sensor 109). At block 1002, the
control device determines whether to activate some or all of the
Peltier devices at block 1003. With some embodiments, selected
Peltier devices (i.e., all or some of the Peltier devices) may be
activated until the measured temperature reaches a hysteresis
temperature so that a hysteresis characteristic is incorporated.
For example, the temperature setting may be 35.degree. F. when the
serving apparatus is operating in the cooling mode. In such a case,
the selected Peltier devices may be activated until the serving
surface is cooled down sufficiently so that the measured
temperature reaches 33.degree. F. (the hysteresis temperature). The
hysteresis temperature is typically offset from the temperature
setting by several degrees so that control cycling is reduced.
Different exemplary procedures for controlling the Peltier devices
will be discussed in FIGS. 11 and 12.
[0089] At block 1004, the control device determines whether to
activate one or more fans (e.g., fans 114 and 115). For example,
with some embodiments the fans may be activated at block 1005 only
when the measured temperature is outside a temperature range to
assist transferring heat with the environment of the serving
apparatus. However, with some embodiments, a fan may be activated
only for specific operating modes, e.g., a cooling mode or a
heating mode.
[0090] FIG. 11 shows flowchart 1100 for controlling Peltier devices
in accordance with an embodiment. At block 1101 a control device
obtains a measured temperature of a serving surface from a
temperature sensor and the temperature setting (desired
temperature) of the serving surface from a user input. At block
1102, the control device determines the mode of operation, i.e.,
cooling or heating. Based on the mode of operation, the control
device determines whether to activate the Peltier devices based on
the measured temperature, temperature setting, and hysteresis
temperature at blocks 1103-1108.
[0091] At block 1103, the control device operates in the cooling
mode and determines whether the measured temperature exceeds the
cooling temperature setting. If so, the control device activates
the Peltier devices until the measured temperature is less than or
equal to the cooling hysteresis temperature at block 1104.
Otherwise (i.e., the measured temperature does not exceed the
cooling temperature setting), the control device deactivates the
Peltier devices at block 1105.
[0092] At block 1106, the control device operates in the heating
mode and determines whether the measured temperature is less than
the heating temperature setting. If so, the control device
activates the Peltier devices until the measured temperature is
greater than or equal to the heating hysteresis temperature at
block 1107. Otherwise (i.e., the measured temperature does not
exceed the cooling temperature setting), the control device
deactivates the Peltier devices at block 1108.
[0093] FIG. 12 shows flowchart 1200 for controlling Peltier devices
in accordance with an embodiment. Flowchart 1200 is similar to
flowchart 1100, where blocks 1201 and 1202 correspond to blocks
1101 and 1102, respectively. However, process 1200 activates all of
the Peltier devices when the measured temperature is outside a
temperature range (e.g., between the temperature setting and the
hysteresis temperature) at blocks 1204 and 1207 and a selected
subset of the Peltier devices when the measured temperature is
within the temperature range at blocks 1205 and 1208. When
operating at blocks 1205 and 1208, the control device may select
different subsets from the plurality of Peltier devices and
sequence through the different subsets. For example, referring to
FIG. 9, the control device may first select and activate the first
subset for a first time duration, followed by the second subset,
followed by the third subset, followed by the first subset, and so
forth.
[0094] FIG. 13 shows a serving apparatus 1300 with a heating side
1301 and a cooling side 1302 in accordance with an embodiment.
Heating side 1301 and cooling side 1302 may operate at the same
time so that heating serving surface 1305 may be heating one food
item (e.g., hot cereal for breakfast) while cooling serving surface
1303 may be simultaneously cooling another food item (e.g., orange
juice for breakfast).
[0095] Cooling serving surface 1303 is cooled by Peltier device
1304 transferring heat from its top to bottom, where Peltier device
1304 is thermally coupled to surface 1303. Heating service surface
1305 is thermally coupled to Peltier device 1306, which transfers
heat from its bottom to its top. Consequently, waste heat is
generated at the bottom of Peltier device 1304 while waste cold
(loss of heat) is generated at the bottom of Peltier device
1306.
[0096] With some embodiments, Peltier device 1304 and/or Peltier
device 1306 may comprise a plurality of plurality of Peltier
devices similarly shown in FIGS. 8 and 9.
[0097] A first portion of heat pipe 1307 is thermally coupled to
Peltier device 1304 while a second portion of heat pipe 1307 is
thermally coupled to Peltier device 1306, in which the operation of
heat pipe 1307 is similar to the operation of heat pipe 400 as
shown in FIG. 4. Consequently, waste heat is transferred from
Peltier device 1304 to Peltier device 1306, which absorbs some of
the waste heat. On the other hand, waste cold is transferred from
Peltier device 1306 to Peltier device 1304, which utilizes the cold
in order to lower its operating temperature. As a result, waste
heat and waste cold may be used by Peltier devices 1304 and 1306
that would have otherwise been expended into the surrounding
environment.
[0098] Heat pipe 1307 may be directly coupled to Peltier device
1304 and/or Peltier device 1306. However, heat pipe 1307 may be
thermally coupled to ambient air adjacent to the bottom of Peltier
device 1304 and/or Peltier device 1306. With some embodiments, heat
pipe 1307 may be thermally coupled to Peltier device 1304 and/or
Peltier device 1306 through another material (e.g., similar to
copper block 504 as shown in FIG. 5).
[0099] With some embodiments, heat pipe 1307 may be directly routed
between Peltier devices 1304 and 1306, where heat pipe 1307
provides a continuous connection between the hot side and the cold
side of Peltier devices 1304 and 1306, respectively. Consequently,
separate heat sinks (heat exchange device) and fans (e.g., as shown
in FIGS. 1, 2, and 5) may not be required because the opposite
Peltier device may function as the heat sink for the other Peltier
device. For example, the phase change (liquid to gas and/or gas to
liquid) of heat pipe 1307 may cause heat/cold flow from one Peltier
device to the other so that separate heat sinks and/or fans may not
be needed to cause the temperature change to influence the
heat/cold flow.
[0100] With some embodiments, heat pipe 1307 may be routed through
a heat exchange device to assist in expending waste heat and/or
waste cold. Heat pipe 1307 may have bends (not explicitly shown in
FIG. 13) in order to route the heat transfer to or from a heat
exchange device providing that the bends to not adversely affect
the capillary or gravity action of heat pipe 1307. One or more fans
1308 and 1309 and/or heat exchange devices (not explicitly shown in
FIG. 13) may be positioned in the vicinity of heat pipe 1307 to
assist in the exchange of waste heat and/cold.
[0101] Thermal barrier 1308 provides thermal separation (isolation)
between heating side 1301 and cooling side 1302 so that heating
serving surface 1305 and cooling serving surface 1303 do not
adversely affect each other.
[0102] While serving apparatus 1300 may support one heating surface
(surface 1305) and one cooling surface (surface 1303), a serving
apparatus may support more than two serving surfaces with some of
the embodiments. For example, FIG. 14 shows a top view of apparatus
1400 that has heating surface 1401 (that may be used for the main
course) and two cooling surfaces 1402 and 1403 (that may be used
for a salad and cold desert, respectively). The surface areas and
the temperature changes may be different for the different serving
surfaces. For example, apparatus 1400 may have a plurality of
cooling zones, where cooling surface 1402 chills a salad while
cooling surface 1403 keeps ice cream from melting. Moreover, while
serving surfaces 1401-1403 are depicted as rectangularly shaped,
some embodiments may have differently shaped serving surfaces.
Also, with some embodiments, surfaces 1401-1403 may have flat or
concave surfaces in order to better contain the served item.
[0103] With some embodiments, heat pipes 1404 and 1405 may be
routed between serving surfaces 1401, 1402, and 1403 to assist in
expending waste heat and/or waste cold. Different heat pipe
configurations may be supported such as routing a heat pipe between
a pair of serving surfaces (e.g., between serving surfaces 1401 and
1402) or routing a heat pipe across more than two serving surfaces
(e.g., 1401, 1402, and 1403).
[0104] FIG. 15 shows portable serving tray 1500 that supports
serving surfaces 1501-1503 that may be used to heat or cool
different items in accordance with an embodiment. Portable serving
tray 1500 contains at least one Peltier device (not explicitly
shown in FIG. 15) to provide desirable temperature changes for
serving surfaces 1501-1503. In order to have portable operating
characteristics, portable serving tray 1500 may be powered by
portable electrical source 1504 that may be inserted into tray
1500. With some embodiments, portable electrical source 1504 may
include a battery and/or fuel cell.
[0105] Portable serving tray 1500 may be used in different serving
environments, including a hospital, hotel, or restaurant. Also,
different types of items may be heated or cooled, including food,
liquids, and non-eatable items.
[0106] FIG. 16 shows serving apparatus 1600 with a plurality of
portable trays 1500 (as shown in FIG. 15) and 1602-1603 stacked in
rack 1601 in accordance with an embodiment. Portable trays 1500 and
1602-1603 may be stacked into rack 1601 so that trays 1602-1604 can
be transported to a desired location. In addition, rack 1600
provides a holding means (e.g., slots or shelves) so that the
portable trays can be inserted into and removed from rack 1600.
[0107] In other embodiments, apparatuses and methods described
herein provide, inter alia, systems for heating and serving food,
components of such systems, and methods of heating and serving
food.
[0108] Some aspects of the disclosure relate to a system which may
be a food-serving or food-display system. In various other
examples, the system may be used to heat and/or illuminate other
kinds of objects. In some examples, the system is a unitary device,
while in other embodiments the system may be modular and configured
to fit and/or interact with one or more other devices and/or
components. FIG. 17A shows a perspective view of an exemplary
embodiment of a food display system 2000 and FIG. 17B shows an
exploded perspective view of an exemplary embodiment of a food
display system 2000. In the examples shown in FIGS. 17A and/or 17B,
the food display system 2000 includes a canopy 2002, a base 2012,
and a support 2010 holding the canopy over the base.
[0109] In some embodiments, the support 2010 may be stainless
steel, while in others is a thermoplastic material. In certain
embodiments, the support 2010 acts as a conduit to direct wiring to
components of the canopy 2002 without making the wiring visible to
the customer or user of the food-serving system. The support 2010
may be a variety of shapes, in some embodiments the support is
partially, substantially, or entirely curved, while in others it
comprises one or more straight sections which may include one or
more angles between the straight sections. The support may be a
variety of sizes as long as the canopy is ultimately held at an
appropriate distance to access items under the canopy and/or be
able to direct heat and/or light onto any objects or food items
placed below the canopy 2002. In certain embodiments, the support
holds the canopy approximately 18 inches above a ground level,
while in others approximately 15-20 inches above a ground level,
and in still others approximately 10 to 30 inches above a ground
level.
[0110] The canopy 2002 may be a structure having a top surface 2004
facing upward or substantially away from the food to be displayed
and a bottom surface 2006 facing downward or substantially toward
the food to be displayed. The canopy 2002 may have an outer edge
2008 which may be comprised of multiple portions including for
example a front edge 2008A, side edges 2008B and 2008C, and a back
edge 2008D. The food display system 2000, including the canopy
2002, may be a variety of shapes and sizes as desired for atheistic
appeal or otherwise. Thus, the canopy 2002, may have fewer or more
edge portions than shown in FIGS. 17A and 17B.
[0111] In some examples, such as the examples of FIGS. 17A and 17B,
the canopy 2002 may be curved with respect to its horizontal axis.
In various examples, the canopy 2002 may be substantially shaped
liked a section of a sphere or ellipse with the interior surface
facing the food items. In other examples the canopy 2002 may be
substantially flat, while in others it may comprise a plurality of
flat surfaces at various angles to each other, such as in a three
dimensional polygonal shape. In certain embodiments, the canopy
2002 or a section thereof may take the form of a prism, pyramid,
cylinder, cone, sphere, ellipse, or a section of such a shape. In
various examples, the canopy 2002 may be an irregular or undulating
shape, and may be symmetric or asymmetric.
[0112] In some embodiments, the canopy 2002 is made of glass,
ceramic, plastic or a combination thereof, and may be a sheet of
one or more of these materials. In certain embodiments the canopy
comprises a sheet of tempered glass. In other examples, the canopy
may be an acrylic or polycarbonite. In certain examples, the canopy
2002 is colorless or substantially colorless. In various examples,
the canopy 2002 may be partially or entirely translucent, for
example embodiments having frosted, etched, engraved, or
sandblasted glass. In certain examples, the canopy transmits and
scatters about 80% or more of visible light, i.e. is "substantially
translucent," in others about 90% or more, in others about 93% or
more, i.e. is "translucent," and in still others about 95% or more.
In certain embodiments, a design, image and/or text may be
displayed on the canopy 2002 using translucent, tinted, or opaque
materials. Additionally, in certain embodiments, and as will be
discussed in greater detail below, a design, image and/or text may
be etched into one of the top surface 2004 of the canopy or the
bottom surface 2006 of the canopy.
[0113] In the example embodiments shown in FIGS. 17A and 17B, the
food display system 2000, may include a light system 2050. The
light system 2050 may include a light source 2052 and housing 2054.
A variety of light sources may be used, and in some embodiments an
incandescent light bulb, a compact florescent light bulb, or
high-intensity discharge bulb or light emitting diode ("LED") may
be used. As shown in FIG. 17B, the light source 2052 may be a light
emitting diode ("LED") strip. A variety of bulbs, wattages or even
number of light sources may be appropriate given the size, shape
and other properties of the canopy and the food-serving system,
and/or the desired visual aesthetic for the food items.
[0114] The light source 2052 may be adjacent to and/or engaged with
one or more of edges 2008 of the canopy 2002. As shown for example
in FIG. 17B, light source 2052 may be located adjacent the back
edge 2008D of the canopy 2002. As shown in FIG. 17B, light source
2052 may be configured to provide light to back edge 2000D of the
canopy 2002 and illuminate the other edge portions 2000A, 2000B,
and 2000C of the canopy 2002. Additionally, the light source 2052
may be configured to illuminate a design, image and/or text etched
into or otherwise on the canopy 2002. In embodiments where the
canopy 2002 is transparent or substantially transparent, the
contrast of edge lit edge surfaces may be especially aesthetically
appealing. The edges 2008 may be rimless, and thus prominently
display the edge lit characteristic when the light source 2052 is
on, or may be partially or entirely covered with an ornamental rim,
such as a tinted material. In some examples, the edge surface or
surfaces may be facing downward towards the food items,
horizontally toward a customer, or at another orientation such as
an intermediate orientation. As will be discussed in greater detail
below the light source 2052 may be configured to display one or
more different colors. These colors may coordinate with the food to
be displayed. For example, the color of the light source 2052 may
enhance the visual appeal and aesthetic of food items and/or the
light source may alert a user to the temperature of the food items.
Additionally, the color of the light source 2052 may coordinate
with a temperature of the food item. For example the light source
2052 may display a red or orange color for a warmed food item and a
blue color for a cooled food item or if the heater is not in use.
In some embodiments the light source 2052 may be able to illuminate
multiple different color lights at the same time which may allow
different portions of the canopy 2002 to illuminate in different
colors and or different light intensities. For example, and as will
be discussed in greater detail below, the light source 2052 may
illuminate a portion of the canopy 2000 in red light over a food
item that is heated and a portion of the canopy 2000 in blue light
over a food item that is cooled. The light source 2052 may
illuminate the canopy in any number of different colors and/or
light intensities.
[0115] As shown in FIG. 17B, the light source 2052 may be engaged
within the housing 2054 adjacent the back edge 2008D of the canopy
2002. In this configuration the light source 2052 may shine against
the back edge 2008D of the canopy 2002. The canopy 2002 may be
engaged with the housing. In some examples, the canopy 2002 may
have cut-out portions 2018 on side edges 2008B and 2008C. The cut
out portions 2018 may engage locking blocks 2020, and the locking
blocks 2020 may engage the housing 2054. This configuration may
thus engage the canopy 2002 with the housing 2054. As shown in
FIGS. 17A and 17B, the housing 2054 may be engaged with the support
2010.
[0116] In some embodiments, as shown for example in FIGS. 17A, and
18A-B, the base 2012 may be configured to engage a table, floor, or
other similar surface such that the canopy 2002 may be positioned
over a food item or food serving vessel 2056. The base 2012 may
have any suitable shape. For example, as shown in FIG. 17A the base
may be configured to be located behind a food serving vessel 2056
and have a generally U-shaped structure having a base leg 2013 and
two outer legs 2015 that project outward and forward from the base
leg 2013. Alternatively as shown in FIGS. 18A and 18B, the base may
be configured to be located behind a food serving vessel 2056 and
have a generally rectangular shape. Alternatively as shown in FIGS.
19A-19C and 20A-20C, the base may be configured to rest under a
food serving vessel 2056. The base 2012 shown in FIGS. 19A-19C, and
20A-20C has a generally rectangular shape having rounded corners
however any suitable shaped base may be used including for example,
elliptical, circular, triangular, square, hexagonal, octagonal,
pentagonal, or a shape substantially similar to the food serving
vessel 2056. Additionally, and as will be discussed in greater
detail below, the base 2012 may be a heating and/or cooling unit,
such as a Peltier device, an example of which is shown in FIGS.
21A-D and which is described in greater detail above.
[0117] The food display system 2000 may include one or more
temperature change sources 2059 which may be located above, below,
and/or at any other location such that the temperature change
source 2059 may be capable of heating and/or cooling a food serving
vessel 2056, food item, or other item above and/or below the
ambient temperature. For example, the temperature change source
2059 may comprise one or more upper heating and/or cooling devices
2060 which may be located above a food serving vessel 2056 or item.
By directing heat from above food items placed below the canopy in
certain embodiments, these examples advantageously provide heat in
a manner that allows a user to easily view and access the food
items because, in certain implementations, there are no walls or
doors between the customer and the food that extend down from the
canopy positioned above the items. In these and/or other
embodiments, there may be no need for a cover immediately above the
food items to retain heat that a customer must remove, or that may
prevent or inhibit a customer from viewing the items. Thus, it is
envisioned in certain embodiments that the system is devoid of any
walls or other enclosing structures in between the canopy and the
food items. It also is envisioned in certain embodiments that the
system is devoid of any cover placed immediately above the food
items, for example a cover placed onto of a serving vessel
containing the food. In addition, in certain embodiments the heat
of the canopy is sufficient to prevent the collection of
condensation from, e.g. steam from the food items, on the canopy
that may otherwise inhibit a customer's view of the food items or
simply lower the aesthetic appeal of the food-serving system.
[0118] For example, as shown in FIGS. 17A, 17B, 18A, and 18B the
one or more upper heating devices 2060 may include a heat lamp of
heat light 2062. The heat light 2062 may be an infrared heat light
or other suitable heating light. As shown in FIGS. 17A, 17B, 18A,
and 18B the heat light 2062 may be engaged with an upper portion of
the support 2010. The heat light 2062 may be adjustable such that
the food serving vessel 2056 may be heated to differing levels of
heat.
[0119] In other examples, as shown for example in FIGS. 19A-C,
20A-20C, and 21A-21D the upper heating device 2060 may be a ceramic
heater. As shown in FIGS. 19A-C, 20A-20C, and 21A-21D the ceramic
heater 2064 may be engaged with an upper portion of the support
2010. The ceramic heater 2064 may be adjustable such that the food
serving vessel 2056 may be heated to differing levels of heat.
[0120] As shown in the example embodiments of FIGS. 19A-19C, FIGS.
20A-20C, and FIGS. 21A-21D, the temperature change source 2059 may
comprise one or more lower heating/cooling devices 2070 which may
be below and/or adjacent a food serving vessel 2056 or food item.
As shown, for example in FIGS. 19A-19C, and FIGS. 21A-21D the food
display system 2000 may comprise a serving vessel 2056 and a lower
heating device 2070 disposed beneath the serving vessel. In the
example shown in FIGS. 19A-19C, the serving vessel 2056 is an upper
serving vessel and the base further includes a lower serving vessel
2058. In embodiments with two or more serving vessels, any
properties of, e.g., the upper serving vessel may be present in any
other serving vessel, and vice versa. The base may be a single
piece with integrated components, may comprise multiple components
that interlock or nestle into one or more other components, as in
this exemplary embodiment, or a combination thereof. In certain
embodiments, the base comprises a serving vessel resting on top of
a heating/cooling device 2070.
[0121] The serving vessel 2056 or vessels 2056 and 2058 may
comprise any material appropriate for holding food items, including
aluminum, stainless steel or other metals and/or alloys thereof. In
some embodiments, the serving vessel comprises porcelain,
stoneware, glass, cast iron, or a combination thereof. In certain
embodiments, the serving vessel comprises a ferromagnetic material.
The serving vessel may be a variety of shapes and sizes depending
on the amount of food items served. In some examples, the serving
vessel has a capacity of 5.8 quarts, while in others between about
5 and about 10 quarts, between about 2 and 5 quarts, between about
15 and 20 quarts, or about 20 or more quarts.
[0122] In various examples, the lower serving vessel 2058 serves as
a water bath. In certain of these examples, the upper serving
vessel 2056 may comprise slits or holes allowing steam or moist
warm air from the water bath to heat the food items contained in
the upper serving vessel. In this example, the lower
heating/cooling device 2070 is disposed beneath the lower serving
vessel 2058. The connection between the heating/cooling device 2070
and the serving vessel 2058 may be direct or indirect, as long as
the connection ultimately allows for transfer of heat between the
heating/cooling device 2070 and the serving vessel that holds the
food items.
[0123] A variety of heating/cooling devices may be used for the
lower heating/cooling device 2070. For example, the heating/cooling
device 2070 may comprise a resistance heating coil, and in yet
others it comprises a fuel that may be ignited to provide a flame.
In certain embodiments, the heating device 2070 comprises an
induction coil and the serving vessel or vessels comprise
ferromagnetic materials that generate heat when placed onto an
induction coil.
[0124] In other embodiments, the lower heating/cooling device 2070
and/or base 2012 may comprise any of the heating/cooling devices
described in more detail above. For example, lower heating/cooling
device 2070 and/or the base 2012 may include any of the Peltier
devices and/or semiconductor devices that provide similar heating
and/or cooling characteristics described above.
[0125] In some embodiments the system 2000 may include one
temperature change source 2059 (such as an upper heating/cooling
device 2060 or a lower heating/cooling device 2070); a plurality of
temperature change sources 2059 (such as an upper heating/cooling
device 2060 and a lower heating/cooling device 2070); or no
temperature change sources 2059.
[0126] In some examples, the canopy 2002 and/or support 2010 may
further comprise one or more additional light sources 2092. In
certain examples, additional light source may be a separate
component that is adjacent to the canopy 2002 or support 2010,
disposed above the canopy 2002, or otherwise positioned near the
canopy 2002 or support such that it directs light onto the canopy
2002 and/or any food items below.
[0127] As mentioned above the system 2000 may also comprise an
electrical source, such as the electrical junction box. In some
embodiments, the electrical source is a portable electrical source
(such as a battery) or some other direct source of power, while in
others it is a junction box designed to provide electric current
from a standard alternating current outlet. In some examples, the
system is configured to run off of 120 volt alternating current. In
some embodiments, the electrical source comprises one or more
sockets. In embodiments with multiple sockets, a user may quickly
easily create a daisy chain of multiple systems 2000 all running
off the same power source, such as a single wall outlet providing
alternating current. In various embodiments, the electrical source
may be a component of the base 2012, support 2010, and/or canopy
2002, while in others it is a distinct component that is directly
or indirectly connected to the system.
[0128] The food display system 2000 may also comprise one or more
control mechanisms 2080. As shown in FIG. 22A, the one or more
control mechanisms 2080 may control, for example, the light source
2052, the temperature change source(s) 2059 (including the upper
heating/cooling devices 2060 and the lower heating/cooling devices
2070), and any additional light sources 2092.
[0129] In some embodiments, the control mechanisms 2080 for
controlling the temperature change sources 2059 may include a
rocker switches having a "heat" setting, "cool" setting and an
"off" setting for temperature change sources 2059 that can heat and
cool, or settings simply for "heat" and "off" for temperature
change sources 2059 that can only heat an item. In other
embodiments the control mechanisms 2080 for controlling the
temperature change sources 2059 may have a "high heat" and "low
heat" setting, a "low cool" setting, a "high cool" setting, and/or
an "off" setting for temperature change sources 2059 that can heat
and cool or settings simply for "high heat," "low heat," and "off"
for temperature change sources 2059 that can only heat. In still
other examples a control mechanism 2080 may be more variable
allowing a user to select any reasonable hot and cold temperatures
for the temperature change sources 2059. In certain embodiments,
these settings may be configured to allow a user to selectively
warm, cook and/or cool food items, for example by selecting a
particular desired temperature, light intensity, or selecting a
pre-set mode. In various examples, the control mechanism 2080 may
allow a user to enter a particular temperature, for example using a
keypad.
[0130] In some embodiments, there are multiple control mechanisms
for various features of the system. For example, and as described
above, there may be separate control mechanisms 2080 for the light
source 2052 of the canopy 2002, the base heating/cooling device
2070, the upper heating device 2060, and any additional light or
heating sources 2092. In certain embodiments, the control mechanism
2080 comprises one or more dials allowing a user to choose a
temperature or light intensity along a continuum of possible
values. In various examples, the control mechanism 2080 may
comprise one or more switches, push buttons, keypads, and the like.
In some embodiments, the control system has one or more timer
mechanisms designed to operate one or more components of the system
for a desired time interval. The control mechanism 2080 may also
comprise circuitry configured to automatically shut off the system
or particular components thereof after a certain amount of time, or
when a certain temperature is exceeded. In certain examples, the
control mechanism 2080 may be connected to one or more probes
measuring the temperature of food items and/or a water bath.
[0131] In some examples the control mechanism 2080 for the
temperature change sources 2059 may also control the light source
2052. For example, in some embodiments the light source 2052 may
turn on when the temperature change source(s) 2059 is on.
Additionally, in other embodiments the color of the light source
2052 may be controlled by the control mechanism 2080. In some
embodiments, when the temperature change source 2059 is turned on
and configured to heat or warm an item above ambient temperature
the light source 2052 may emit a red light. The red light may have
a wavelength of about 600 nm to about 665 nm or the red light may
have a color temperature of below 2400 K. Similarly, in some
embodiments, when the temperature change source 2059 is turned on
and configured to cool an item below ambient temperature the light
source may emit a blue light. The blue light may have a wavelength
of about 430 nm to about 525 nm or the blue light may have a color
temperature of above 6000 K. In some embodiments, the intensity of
the light source 2052 may also correspond to the temperature change
source 2059. Thus, in some examples, the light source 2052 may be
brighter when the temperature change source 2059 is set to higher
heat or cool setting than when it is set to a lower heat or cool
setting.
[0132] In still other embodiments, there may be separate control
mechanisms 2080 for the temperature change source 2059 and the
light source 2052. In such embodiments, the control mechanism 2080
for the light source 2052 may allow a user to select various colors
for the light source 2052. For example, in some embodiments, red
LEDs can have a wavelength of about 620 nm-625 nm, dark red LEDS
can have a wavelength of about 660 nm-665 nm, red-orange LEDS can
have a wave length of about 610 nm-620 nm, green LEDs can have a
wavelength of about 520 nm-550 nm, cyan LEDS can have a wavelength
of about 490 nm-520 nm, blue LEDs can have a wavelength of about
465 nm-470 nm, dark blue LEDs can have a wavelength of about 455
nm-460 nm, warm white light LEDs can have more red wavelengths and
are rated in color temperatures of about 2,000-4,000 K, and cool
white light LEDs can have more blue wavelengths are rated in color
temperatures of about 5,000-10,000K. In addition to adjusting the
color of the light 2052, the control mechanism 2080 may also adjust
the intensity of the light. Thus, a user may be able to adjust the
brightness of the light source 2052.
[0133] FIG. 22B shows control device 2081 for controlling control
mechanism 2080. In some embodiments, control device 2081 may be the
same or similar to control device 600 discussed above. Processing
system 2082 may execute computer executable instructions from a
computer-readable medium (e.g., storage device 2083) in order
provide verify communication redundancy for a network, Memory 2084
is typically used for temporary storage while storage device 2083
may comprise a flash memory and/or hard drive for storing computer
executable instructions and a profile image. However, computer
storage media may include volatile and nonvolatile, removable and
non-removable media implemented in any method or technology for
storage of information such as computer readable instructions, data
structures, program modules or other data. Computer storage media
include, but may not be limited to, random access memory (RAM),
read only memory (ROM), electronically erasable programmable read
only memory (EEPROM), flash memory or other memory technology,
CD-ROM, digital versatile disks (DVD) or other optical disk
storage, magnetic cassettes, magnetic tape, magnetic disk storage
or other magnetic storage devices, or any other medium that can be
used to store the desired information and that can be accessed by
processing system 2081. The executable instructions may carry out
any or all of the method steps described herein.
[0134] With some embodiments, processing system 2082 may correspond
to one or more processors and storage device 2083 may correspond to
one or more memories.
[0135] Control device 2081 may be implemented as one or more ASICs
or other integrated circuits (e.g., a single chip computer) having
instructions for performing operations as described in connection
with one or more of any of the embodiments described herein. Said
instructions may be software and/or firmware instructions stored in
a machine-readable medium and/or may be hard-coded as a series of
logic gates and/or state machine circuits in one or more integrated
circuits and/or in one or more integrated circuits in combination
with other circuit elements.
[0136] As shown in FIG. 22B, control device 2081 may control the
light source 2052, the temperature change sources 2059 (including
the upper heating/cooling devices 2060 and the lower
heating/cooling devices 2070), and any additional light sources
2092. A user may control the light source 2052, the temperature
change sources 2059 (including the upper heating/cooling devices
2060 and the lower heating/cooling devices 2070), and any
additional light sources 2092 through a peripheral interface 2085.
Similar to the examples discussed above, in some embodiments the
color of the light source 2052 may correspond to a temperature of
the temperature control sources 2059. Additionally, with some
embodiments, control device 2081 supports different control
capabilities for heating and/or cooling. For example, in some
embodiments, control device 2081 may obtain a temperature setting
(desired temperature) from a user through an input device and
control one or more temperature change sources 2059 to compensate
for environmental factors in order to approximate the desired
temperature.
[0137] In various examples the control mechanism 2080 and/or
control device 2081 may be directly connected to the electrical
source, while in others it is indirect connected or functions
remotely from the electrical source. The remote connections may
utilize radio waves, a paired infrared emitter and sensor, or
another type of wireless connection. In some of these examples, the
control mechanism is at the front of the food-serving system to
allow a user to easily control the system.
[0138] In some embodiments, the base 2012, canopy 2002 and support
2010 are connected to form a single unit, while in others may
constitute two or more separate components that are assembled for
use. Even if fully assembled, the system 2000 may be sized such
that a user could easily transport the system and set up the
portable food display system 2000 in a desired location. For
example, in some embodiments the system 2000 is approximately 15
pounds or less. In various embodiments the food display system 2000
is less than two feet in any dimension, thus allowing a use to
easily store, transport, and set-up the system, or multiple units
of the system, as desired. In certain embodiments, the food display
system 2000 may comprise part of a table, counter, or other
structure, and in some examples components or all of the systems
may be designed to be permanently attached to the other structure.
In some examples, the food display system 2000 may be part of a
cart or other mobile structure designed to allow a user to quickly
set-up food display system 2000 in a desired location.
[0139] As described above, in some embodiments the light source
2052 may capable of illuminating multiple different color lights at
the same time, which may allow portions of the canopy 2002 to
illuminate in different colors and/or different light intensities.
Such an embodiment of the system 2000 may be particularly
advantageous when used with a serving apparatus having a heating
side and a cooling side similar to serving apparatus 1300 described
above.
[0140] As shown in FIG. 23, and as described above, serving
apparatus 1300 may have a heating side 1301 and a cooling side 1302
in accordance with an embodiment which may operate at the same time
so that heating serving surface 1305 may be heating one food item
(e.g., hot cereal for breakfast) while cooling serving surface 1303
may be simultaneously cooling another food item (e.g., orange
juice, fruit, yogurt, etc. for breakfast). As described above, the
cooling surface 1303 may be cooled by a first Peltier device and
the heating surface 1305 may be heated by a second Peltier device;
the first and second Peltier devices may have one or more heat
pipes between them.
[0141] The canopy may have a first portion 2002A and a second
portion 2002B. The light source 2052 may provide light to the edge
2008 of each portion 2002A and 2002B of the canopy 2002. In such
embodiments the light source 2052 may have any configuration
capable of supplying light having different characteristics, such
as lights having different color characteristics, to each of the
two portions 2002A and 2002B of the canopy. For example, in some
embodiments, the light source 2052 may be a first light having a
first color providing light to section 2002A and a second light
having a second color providing light to section 2002B. In other
embodiments the light source 2052 may be a LED light strip capable
of illuminating the first and second portions 2002A and 2002B with
different colors and/or intensities. In some, examples, each
section may have a plurality of lights of different colors and/or
intensities, and these are configured to be selectively illuminated
based on the current usage of the unit (e.g. by a light controller
that a user operates, or by set instructions based on selected
temperatures for the unit below the canopy section). In some
embodiments, the canopy 2002, may include an optional divider 2097
between the first portion 2002A and 2002B which may separate the
light provided to the portions 2002A and 2002B of the canopy
2002.
[0142] In some embodiments, the light source 2052 may illuminate a
portion of the canopy 2000 in red light over a food item that is
heated and a portion of the canopy 2000 in blue light over a food
item that is cooled. Each of the separate canopy sections 2002A and
2002B may be illuminated in any number of different colors and/or
light intensities. Additionally, although two canopy sections are
shown in FIG. 23 any number of different canopy sections may be
utilized. In embodiments with more than two canopy sections, at
least a front edge of each section is illuminated by the
appropriate light source. In some examples, multiple canopies may
be used above multiple Peltier units (e.g. a separate lighted
canopy above one heating Peltier unit, and a separate lighted
canopy above a cooling Peltier unit, or multiple hot Peltier units,
multiple cold Peltier units, or combinations thereof). In certain
examples, one or more heat pipes are used for the multiple Peltier
units as described herein. The Peltier units may be part of a
single base, or may be in separate base modules for different food
items. In some examples, the system may comprise multiple smaller
canopies (e.g. relatively thin canopies, such as those 8 inches
wide or less, 12 inches wide or less, or 18 inches wide or less)
disposed above one or more Peltier units. In certain embodiments,
the system may comprised multiple canopy sections (e.g. roughly
rectangular shaped sections) that are connected at the front edge,
to provide an discrete lighting section for various food items
(e.g. with a distinct lit, side edge) but still have a continuous
surface at the front to promote sanitary conditions (e.g. the front
six, twelve, or eighteen inches are a continuous surface extending
the width of the overall serving area, with individual rear
sections, having dividing space in between them, extending back to
a light source).
[0143] As can be appreciated by one skilled in the art, a system
with an associated computer-readable medium containing instructions
for controlling the computer system may be utilized to implement
the exemplary embodiments that are disclosed herein. The computer
system may include at least a microprocessor, a digital signal
processor, and associated peripheral electronic circuitry. In some
examples, such systems comprise temperature control module(s) and
light control module(s) (where these may be combined into a single
module) including one or components described here.
[0144] While the disclosure has been described with respect to
specific examples including presently preferred modes of carrying
out the disclosed systems, apparatuses, methods, etc., those
skilled in the art will appreciate that there are numerous
variations and permutations of the above described systems and
techniques that fall within the spirit and scope of the disclosure
as set forth in the appended claims.
* * * * *